


Buried

by Maeve_of_Winter



Category: The Trixie Belden Mysteries - Julie Campbell Tatham & Kathryn Kenny
Genre: Dysfunctional Family, Family Drama, Family Secrets, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-17
Updated: 2014-09-17
Packaged: 2018-02-17 19:40:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2321009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maeve_of_Winter/pseuds/Maeve_of_Winter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Brian unwittingly discovers a secret of the Regan/Mangan family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Buried

**Author's Note:**

> I welcome constructive criticism on all of my works. If you want to leave a comment, that's perfectly fine, but if you'd prefer to send a message, my email is goldphoenixrising@yahoo.com.

I welcome constructive criticism on all of my works. If you want to leave a comment, that's perfectly fine, but if you'd prefer to send a message, my email is goldphoenixrising@yahoo.com.

* * *

“I can't believe you cut class yesterday, Daniel."

“I skipped a fire safety assembly. Like I needed it-- my home involves interacting with fire on an almost daily basis.”

Brian listened unenthusiastically from the tack room as he cleaned his riding gear. He had his fill of bickering at home between Trixie and Mart, and he was not eager to hear more of it from Dan and Regan. Family arguments quickly became tiresome and draining to witness.

There was a brief pause, a rustle of paper.

“It says here that instead of attending the assembly, you went to the school library.” Regan's tone was incredulous. "Look-- when kids your age cut class, aren't they supposed to do something cool, something fun? Hit the movies, or hang out at the video arcade?"

“I have a term paper due later this month, and I wanted to get a jump start on it.”

A few beats of silence.

“You're grounded,” Regan declared, deaf to Dan's protests. “Now if you'll excuse me, I have a business trip by request of Mr. Wheeler.”

“Where to?”

“The horse auction outside of White Plains. I'm taking Honey, Trixie, and Jim.”

Brian knew about the auction; Regan had invited all of the BWGs to the auction at Honey's suggestion. Or, at least, most of them. Judging by Dan's sudden silence, he had never gotten word of the events.

Regan strode out of his office and past the tack room, exiting the stable. Moments later, Brian heard another pair of receding footsteps, with a quiet, even stride that was belied by the resounding slam of the stable doors that followed.

Brian sighed as he hung the last piece of tack. He felt guilty for his accidental eavesdropping and awkward about being exposed to the problems plaguing the family of two of his friends.

Regan was usually a strict disciplinarian who Dan constantly strove to impress, but in the last few weeks, Regan's parenting style harshened till it bordered on authoritarian. Now, he demanded to know Dan's exact plans when going out, the specific people he would be hanging out with, and the precise time he would be home. Any vagueness in any of Dan's answers was suddenly greeted by Regan with impatience, exasperation, and derision. Sometimes Brian wondered what had brought on the change in behavior, but truly, it was none of his business.

Finished, Brian turned to leave, but a nagging feeling stopped him. Oh, right. Trixie had borrowed his chemistry notebook yesterday, for whatever reason, and then left it down here. Regan had mentioned earlier that he'd found it and placed it in his office for safekeeping.

Walking into the office, Brian located the notebook easily; it was sitting out on the desk, an opened envelope and letter nearby. Intending to grab his notebook and leave, Brian was dismayed when the notebook slipped from his grasp, sending its papers and the letter cascading to the ground.

He grabbed the hodge-podge of papers from the tile floor and began sorting through them, skimming the text of each sheet to locate Regan's letter amongst his notes.

He found it, and then wished he hadn't.

\-- _now that he has stabilized and advanced beyond the turmoil in his life, I must emphasize that an isolated log cabin in the woods is hardly a suitable place for a young teenager to be raised. I believe the time has arrived for me to reclaim custody of my son_ \--

Brian dropped the paper as though it had burned him, his hands shaking. He hurriedly left the stable, the bright sun outside suddenly seeming cold and distant, as the letter's contents echoed in his mind.


End file.
